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Tennessee lawmaker changes name of 'Milo Bill' after controversy

Days after informally naming a bill after Breitbart columnist Milo Yiannopoulos Republican lawmaker in Tennessee is distancing himself from Breitbart columnist Milo Yiannopoulos after video surfaced last week of the controversial commentator condonin

Tennessee lawmaker changes name of 'Milo Bill' after controversy

After a violent protest forces UC Berkeley to cancel a speech by right-wing provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos, students wonder what has become of an institution known as the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement. (Feb. 2)
AP

Milo Yiannopoulos holds a sign as he speaks at the University of Colorado in 2017.(Photo: Jeremy Papasso/file/AP)

Days after informally naming a bill after Breitbart columnist Milo Yiannopoulos, a Republican lawmaker in Tennessee is backtracking due to a video of the controversial commentator condoning sex between grown men and underage boys.

Daniel and co-sponsor Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, referenced the recent protests against Yiannopoulos at the University of California, Berkeley. Violence erupted at a protest, prompting officials there to cancel the speech.

Similar issues have hampered the expression of conservative ideas in Tennessee, they said, specifically referencing the University of Tennessee's flagship campus in Knoxville.

On Monday, the East Tennessee lawmaker backed away from his endorsement of Yiannopoulos, sending out a series of tweets saying his bill would be known as "the Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, & the MLK JR. bill."

In an interview, he said he was not familiar with the full extent of the controversy. But he condemned Yiannopoulos' comments.

We're adding names to HB739. It will also be known as the Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Thomas Paine, & the MLK JR. bill. #1A#FreeSpeech

"It seemed appropriate at that time to name it after someone who has been persecuted for freedom of speech," Daniel said.

But Daniel said the bill is bigger than just one person or incident.

"What we want to do is make it clear that this bill is about freedom of speech, not just one person," he said.

The bill said public universities "have abdicated their responsibility to uphold free speech principles, and these failures make it appropriate for all state institutions of higher education to restate and confirm their commitment in this regard."

Democratic Rep. Mike Stewart of Nashville pushed back during his own press conference on Tuesday, condemning Republicans for “naming bills after people that promote racism, pedophilia and hatred.”

“Based on the revelations that we heard this weekend, I would urge the sponsor today to withdraw the Milo bill," Stewart said. “While people certainly have the right to make speeches about whatever they want in our country, that doesn’t mean that public officials should celebrate hateful fringe speech.”

Stewart further criticized the purpose of the bill, saying the bill was "drafted to make a political statement, not to actually accomplish anything." Stewart said free speech is already protected on college campuses, a point of view shared by UT leaders.

Both UT president Joe DiPietro and new UT Knoxville Chancellor Beverly Davenport have said they don't believe the bill is necessary.

“It’s probably the 20th bill we’ve seen where the supermajority here feels the need to interfere with the daily workings of the University of Tennessee campus and the Board of Regents campuses,” Stewart said.

Reach Kirk A. Bado on Twitter at @kirk_bado. Reach Adam Tamburin at atamburin@tennessean.com and 615-726-5986 or on Twitter @tamburintweets.